Cain and Abel

Genesis 4:1-16
"Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, 'I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.' And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The Lord said to Cain, 'Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.'

Cain spoke to Abel his brother, and when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, 'Where is Abel your brother?' He said, 'I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?' And the Lord said, 'What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened his mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth. Cain said to the Lord, 'My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.' Then the Lord said to him, 'Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.' And the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, East of Eden."

Hebrews 11:1-4 (ESV)
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks."

Sacrifice Day

The morning breaks on the day of sacrifice. Cain grumbles as his feet hit the floor. Another day of back breaking work. Cain rubs his eyes and looks at his tired feet sitting on the dirt floor. He remembers the events that took place yesterday and groans. He and Abel had gotten into another argument and just the thought of his brother's face and his protests angered Cain. He grunted and moved to get up and grab some food. Today he'd prepare what he thought was going to be enough for this God that his parents had once walked with. Cain didn't understand what the fuss was about. So many hours of the stories and he still didn't see the purpose for the sacrifice. He worked so hard day after day; breaking ground, tilling the soil, sowing, reaping, and storing away food and seed. He worked. So. Hard. And still this nameless God demanded sacrifice. Why? It just made Cain angry to have to give away his hard earned food to just be burned up. He didn't have time or energy for this. Not to mention, his little two-face brother was just as enamored with God as his parents were, and that angered Cain to no end. Abel was always looking for approval, and the trembling chin and tears as he talked about God did not move Cain. He saw right through the act. He knew that Abel was just trying to gain his parents approval. It pierced Cain's heart to think of the times when his parents talked in tender voices with Abel. Why didn't they notice him? He was the one who worked hard to provide for the family? It was him who was strong and able to provide! "This family is so deceived," he thought.

Later that day, as the family gathered for the time of sacrifice, the family brought various things to be burned on the alter. First Adam and Eve brought their lamb. They went through the ritual, bowed low to the ground, and repented of their brokenness that had broken trust with God. This brokenness which had separated them from communion and fellowship with their Maker, and which they could see in their children as well. They were reminded, once again, of what God had said, and the pain and the hope that mingled pierced their hearts.

Cain moved with stiffness as he went toward the alter with his meager basket of food. His heart mocked his family as they stepped back to make room for him to approach. His anger had subsided from earlier and now he just felt tired. As he stepped back from the alter, he bowed, but he didn't worship. He had worked hard for this fruit, and he wondered again why he had to give it up. He watched as the fire licked the fruit, waited for it to be burned to ash, then stepped back. Abel brushed past him and moved towards the alter with his lamb. Then he stopped. Cain couldn't see why he stopped, and was taken aback when Abel turned.

"Cain, I was angry at you yesterday at something that wasn't my business. I'm so sorry for the way I spoke to you. It has been on my heart all night and I cannot take another step before I ask your forgiveness. Will you forgive me?"

Cain mumbled yes, but his heart was far from forgiveness. In fact, it angered him that Abel would be so two-faced in front of the alter. He'd have words with him later.

As Abel stepped forward to the alter with his bleating lamb, he started sobbing. Abel had raised this lamb with his own hands, and had cared for it when it had been separated from it's mama. He spent so many hours tending his flock he thought his soul was being ripped out of his body.

Abel had spent many hours with his parents talking about the time when they had walked in a garden, when life had been so, so different. Abel knew this God that they had walked with. He could see HIs hand all over the trees, the grasses, the plants, the newborn lambs, the soft wool. He recognized the immensity of creation, and therefore the immensity of Creator God. He said words of thanks often as he glanced around at his surroundings. He said words of thanks when he looked at his previous lambs. Their need for a protector and provider softened his heart towards them, and he cared for them with such a tender heart. To now chance to offer him to Creator God, to have to sacrifice this innocent precious babe because of the broken in him, pierced him. He wanted to run screaming from the alter and never return. But he did it. He wanted to fulfill what was asked because Creator God required it. The greatness and the wildness of God was worth the hurt inside.

As Abel sacrificed his lamb with great sobs, Cain looked on, mocking him in his mind. How could Abel offer his precious little lambs so freely. How could he believe? How could a God require such a sacrifice? And what did it get him? Cain certainly was too filled with resentment and bitterness to see the point. He stayed just as long as was required, than returned to the fields to keep working. His anger subsided, but the questions lingered in his mind...if he ever got the chance to rid the world of his weakling of a brother Abel, what would he do?